Ehsan Fazili/Srinagar
In restoring and conserving a dilapidated, abandoned, and decaying Church, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation has not only revived a place of worship for the handful of local Christians but also preserved Valley’s architectural heritage and traditions of harmony. The 125-year-old Saint Luke’s Church in Dal Gate area, close to the Lake by that name, will have its first mass for the devout on Christmas after 30 years. The carol singing happened at its online inauguration by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha.
The church was built in 1896 on the southwest slope of Shri Shankaracharya Hill on top of which is located the famous Shiva temple.
According to Athar Aamir Khan, Commissioner, Srinagar Municipality, a lot of credit for the restoration of this building goes to local artisans who reworked the Khatamband ceiling of this church, a unique feature of local art. Khatamband is a roof made of designer wooden tiles. The church building is otherwise a Gothic structure.
An inside view of Church: Khatamband roof and wooden floor is part of Kashmir articheture
The church was built by Dr. Arthur Neve, a doctor, who lived and worked out in Kashmir for 30 years and served the people.
Athar Aamir Khan explained that this Church has been renovated at the government’s expense under the Smart City project. He said keeping its antiquity intact was a challenge for the local artisans, who, he said, worked hard in the project.
He said, “church erected in 1896 had undergone severe structural damages & decay including the damages to the foundation & walls, the disintegration of the roof, vegetation outgrowths, accumulation of silt and debris, decay of the khatmband roofing etc.”
The Church building before the restoration
Before the restoration works, the Church was lying in a dilapidated condition, with the structural members suffering major damage. The CGI roofing was completely damaged, the rainwater intrusion from the roof aggravated the decay of important components.
St Luke's Church is a single-story building constructed on a cruciform plan. The Church follows the Gothic Style of Architecture which is distinct from the other important monuments dotted in the landscape of Srinagar. Attached to the porch, there is a bell tower which is three-story in height, mounted by a high-pitched CGI roof with dormer gables on each side.
This Church will be listed in the proposed must-see places for Tourists visiting Srinagar, said Khan.
A Bird's eye view of the renovated St Lukes Church
Before the eruption of terrorism, a lot of Christian tourists visited the local churches. With the slow migration of the Christian population of Srinagar and the fall in the arrival of foreign tourists the footfall in the Churches has come down. Srinagar has two other Churches.
The local Christian community of Srinagar is excited about the prospectus of visiting the church for the maiden mass on Saturday on Christmas eve.
Inaugurating it, Lt Governor said: “Reopening of St Luke's Church in Srinagar after restoration is a historic occasion to celebrate and imbibe Lord Christ's message of sacrifice, service, redemption, love, and compassion.”
The Bell Tower of St Luke's Church
He said the St Luke's Church is a unique symbol of J&K's composite culture.
The local Muslims are also happy since the restoration and conservation of St Luke's Church has also brought the up-gradation of the surrounding landscape, including the beautified access to the Church, lighting, etc.
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